The Secretary of Education seeks the consent of the State Board of Education to amend 14 DE Admin. Code 540 Driver Education in order to clarify that Delaware nonpublic school (private and homeschool) students are entitled to tuition-based driver education at rates approved by the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, Delaware General Assembly.

Persons wishing to present their views regarding this matter may do so in writing by the close of business on or before October 6, 2008 to Susan Haberstroh, Education Associate, Regulation Review, Department of Education, at 401 Federal Street, Suite 2, Dover, Delaware 19901. A copy of this regulation is available from the above address or may be viewed at the Department of Education business office.

C. Impact Criteria

1. Will the amended regulation help improve student achievement as measured against state achievement standards? The amendment relates to driver education not student achievement as measured against state achievement standards.

2. Will the amended regulation help ensure that all students receive an equitable education? The amendment relates to driver education and ensures all students receive equitable driver education.

3. Will the amended regulation help to ensure that all students' health and safety are adequately protected? The amended regulation deals with driver education, not students' health and safety.

4. Will the amended regulation help to ensure that all students' legal rights are respected? The amended regulation will ensure that all students' legal rights are respected.

5. Will the amended regulation preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision making at the local board and school level? The amended regulation will preserve the necessary authority and flexibility of decision making at the local board and school level.

6. Will the amended regulation place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels? The amended regulation will not place unnecessary reporting or administrative requirements or mandates upon decision makers at the local board and school levels.

7. Will the decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated be placed in the same entity? The decision making authority and accountability for addressing the subject to be regulated will be placed in the same entity.

8. Will the amended regulation be consistent with and not an impediment to the implementation of other state educational policies, in particular to state educational policies addressing achievement in the core academic subjects of mathematics, science, language arts and social studies? The amended regulation addresses driver education not the core academic subject.

9. Is there a less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation? There is no less burdensome method for addressing the purpose of the regulation.

10. What is the cost to the State and to the local school boards of compliance with the regulation? There is no cost to the State and to the local school boards of compliance with the amended regulation.

540 Driver Education

1.0 Eligibility for Driver Education

1.1 Delaware public school residents are entitled to free driver education one time only. Delaware nonpublic school (private and homeschool) students are entitled to tuition-based driver education at rates approved by co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, Delaware General Assembly. Students who are not successful in their initial driver education course may register in any of the adult driver education programs for a fee.

1.2 The Individualized Education Program Team, in consultation with the Driver Education teacher, may make accommodations to the Driver Education program and offer specialized instruction for special education students through the student's Individual Education Program (I.E.P.).

1.3 Nothing in this regulation shall alter a school's duties under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act to students who are qualified individuals with disabilities. Nothing in this regulation shall prevent a school from providing driver education to such students.

1.4 Delaware residents attending school out of state as 10th graders, students in excess of the September 30th unit allotment, students attending private and parochial academies in state with 10th grade enrollments of less than twenty five, home schooled students and any student approved by the Secretary as an exceptional case are entitled to attend summer driver education without charge. Students attending private schools in state with 10th grade enrollments of less than twenty five, and homeschooled students shall be entitled to attend tuition-based summer driver education at rates approved by the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee, Delaware General Assembly. Districts shall notify all nonpublic and public high schools in their district by May 1st annually as to the location of the nearest summer driver education program. Summer Driver Education shall be offered between June 10 and August 31 and each request for free tuition must be approved by the Secretary of Education through the Office of the Education Associate, Safety and Driver EducationOffice of the Director of Career & Technical Education and School Climate.

1.5 Adult Driver Education programs, when offered, shall follow the same regulations established for the high school and the summer programs. The adult programs are available to any individual for a fee through a local school district in each county. The cost per student for adult driver education will be determined by the Department of Education.

2.0 Requirements for Class Time

2.1 The driver education course shall include a minimum of forty four (44) class hours of instruction consisting of thirty (30) class hours of classroom instruction, seven (7) class hours of in the car behind the wheel laboratory instruction and seven (7) hours of actual observation in the car. The class hours must not be less than forty five (45) minutes each. For those schools with varying class schedules the minimum classroom instruction must be no less than one thousand three hundred fifty (1350) minutes and behind the wheel laboratory instruction no less than three hundred fifteen (315) minutes.

2.2 Driving simulators may be substituted for the required hours of behind the wheel laboratory instruction but only up to three (3) hours of time at the ratio of four (4) hours of driving simulation to one (1) hour of actual behind the wheel laboratory instruction.

2.3 Off the street driving ranges or multiple driving ranges that are off the street may be substituted for actual behind the wheel laboratory instruction up to three (3) hours time at the ratio of two (2) hours of range instruction time to one (1) hour of actual behind the wheel laboratory instruction time.

2.4 Driving simulation and off the street driving range time shall not be taken from or cause a reduction of classroom instruction time.

2.5 Driving simulation and off the street driving range time shall not be substituted for more than one half (1/2) of the total required seven (7) hours of actual behind the wheel laboratory instruction and only at the ratios defined in 2.0. This includes individually or in any combination.

3.0 Curriculum

3.1 The Driver Education teachers shall use the statewide curriculum for driver education developed by the Department of Education for classroom instruction and behind the wheel laboratory instruction time. Teachers should include student activities requiring reading, writing and research as part of the Driver Education curriculum.

4.0 Final Grades

4.1 Final grades for the forty four hour driver education course shall be either pass or fail. Schools may grant one fourth (1/4) credit for successful completion of the minimum hours in both the classroom and the behind the wheel laboratory experience. The one fourth of a credit for driver education may be included as part of the elective credits counted toward graduation.

4.2 Pass or Fail grades must be received by the Department of Education no later than June 30th for Regular Driver Education Programs and August 31st for Summer Driver Education Programs. Final grades will be maintained by the Department for a seven year period.

5.0 Use of Driver Education Cars

5.1 Automobiles purchased, leased from Fleet Services or leased directly from a dealership using state funds allocated for driver education shall be used solely for the instruction of students enrolled in Driver Education; except that a school district or charter school may permit a driver education teacher to drive such automobile to and from the teacher's place of residence when the school district or charter school determines that it would be unsafe to store the automobile overnight at the school.; and further provided that in the case of a private school driver education teacher, the Education Associate, Safety and Driver Education at the Department of Education may permit that teacher to drive the automobile to and from school from the teacher's place of residenceThe Director of Career & Technical Education and School Climate shall assign private school driver education teachers a state parking location to store the vehicle overnight when it appears that it would be unsafe to store the automobile overnight at the school.

6.0 Scheduling of Driver.

6.1 All public and nonpublic high schools with twenty five or more enrolled 10th grade students shall offer Driver Education as part of the curriculum.